Electric iron.



C. S. & D. PALMER.

ELECTRIC IRON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, I916.

1,231,056., Patented June 26,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

h L 41, (am, (vhf-4 I y A ATM 5- C. S. & D. PALMER.

ELECTRIC IRON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. 1.9!6.

1 ,23 1 ,056 Patented June 26, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E- INVENTUYS' and DEAN PALMER,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. PALMER AND DEAN PALMER, SARANAC LAKE, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC IRON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1916. Serial No. 187,550.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLnsS. PALMER citizens of the United States,residing at Saranac Lake, in the counties of Essex and Franklin,respectively, and State of New vented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Electric Irons, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to electrically heated fiat irons or devices of asimilar nature and has for its object to provide improved automaticmeans for controlling the supply of current to the heating element ofthe iron so that the iron is particularly adapted to perform theservices required of it in an efi'ective and efiicient manner withoutdanger of scorching or setting fire to inflammable material owing to thenegliof the user. The iron gence or inadvertence embodying our inventionis designed to be automatically supplied with heat when in use or whenplaced on end in a position in which the ironing surface is out ofcontact with surroundin objects so that the necessary heat may Femaintained in the iron between ironing operations without the necessityof using a stand or the like, and is further designed the heat from theheating element when the iron is left on its ironing surface in aposition in which it would otherwise do injury to inflammable objectssuch as fabrics or the like.

A further object of our invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive device which may be readily and cheaply produeed and whichis efficient and positive in its operation.

Our invention will be fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in York, have into automatically out 01f mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified form ofdevice embodying our invention.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the switch lever pressed downagainst the handle as when in use.

Fig. 8 is an elevation showing the device resting on end.

Fig; 9 is a side elevation of another modifie form of device embodyingour invention.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the position taken by theswitch lever when the iron is in use.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the device shown in igs. 9 and 10 restingon end.

F ig 12 is a section on line 12-12 of aving reference to the drawingsthere is shown a fiat iron A provided with a base or ironing surface Bwhich is heated by any well known means, not shown, such as one or moreelectric coils of usual form. At C is shown'a handle with which the ironA is provided. Between the iron A and its handle C is a connecting braceD, by which one end of the handle is secured o the iron, and aconnecting brace E, which serves to secure the other end of the handleto the iron and also as a receptacle for the switchmechanism to behereinafter described. The base B is provided at its rear end with amember 11 which is of non-heat conducting material .and preferablyextends from the lower end of the base B to the upper as shown.

At the lower end of the member 11 a member 12 is pivotally connected, asshown at 13, which extends about the rear end of the iron A and over thetop of the handle as shown, having a rear portion 14 and a forwardlyprojecting portion 15. The member 12 serves both as a lever foroperating the switch mechanism, in a manner to be described, and also asa support upon which the iron may rest when it is desired that it shouldbe heated when not in use. For this purpose the portion 14 of the member12 is relatively broad, being shown in Fig. 2, and the forwardlyprojecting portion 15 or hand member of the lever is provided with lipsor flanges which are preferably curved to fit about the handle C end ofthe handle Patented June 26, 1917. v

preferably shaped as so that the lever may be readily grasped by theoperator together with the handle C when the device is in use. Betweenthe hand member 15 of the member 12 and the handle C is a spring 16which tends normally to hold the portion 15 away from the handle, a stop17 being provided to limit the action of said spring. The member 12 thusforms a lever which is pressed downwardly against the handle by the handof the user when the necessary lroning pressure is exerted and which ismoved away fromthe handle about the pivot 13 by the spring 16 when thehandle is released by the operator and the device is not in use. Themember 12 also operates as a lever when the iron is turned on end on therear portion of the lever or rest 14, in which casethe weight of theironcauses the spring 16 to be compressed and the portion 15 to be movedtoward the handle as shown in Fig. 4. At 18 is shown a sto secured totherear end of the handle C an adapted to contact with the portion 14 ofthe member 12 so as to limit the inward movement of the member.

A snap-over switch is preferably located Within the member E andconsists of an actuating plunger 19 of non-conducting material such asvulcaniteor the like, of amovable contact lever 20,-a spring contact 21,and a fixed contact 22, the last mentioned member being connected tosuitable heating coils not shown by a wire 9. The spring contact 21 andthe heating coils are connected with the supply by wires 7 and 8respectively. The plunger 19 projects through a hole in the member 11into the switch box or member E, and is pivotally connected at its outerend with the portion 1 1 of the member 12. The plunger 19 also passesthrough an elongated opening 27 in the lever 20, which is pivotallymounted at 28, and is provided'at each side of the lever 20 withenlarged portions 25 and 26. A pair of light springs 29 and 30 surroundthe plunger 19 and are interposed between the enlarged portions 25 and26' respectively and the contact lever 20. The contact 22 is fixedlymounted in the switch box-or member E and is so arranged that the lowerend of the lever 20 makes contact with it when the plunger 19 is pressedinwardly and the lever 20 is thrown into the position shown in dottedlines in'Fig. 5. The spring contact 21 is curved as shown in Fig. 5 andis secured at one end at 31 to the switch box IE, and projects'over theupper end of the lever 20in a position to always be engagedby the same.The springs 29 and .30 and thespring contact 21 are so arranged thatwhen the plunger 19 is pressed inwardly by; the lever 12 the spring 30will'b'e compressed until the pressure exerted by it overcomes thepressure exerted bythe spring 21 against the end of the lever 20. Thelever v 20 will then be snapped past the lowermost portion of the curvedspring 21 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When inthis position the spring 29 operates to hold the lever 20 in contactwith the spring 21. When the lever 12 is moved outwardly by the spring16, which is stronger than springs 29, 30 and 31, the reverse operationto that described above takes place and the lever is snapped back intothe position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and out of contact with themember 22. While we have shown the form of snap-over switch preferred wedo not desire to limit ourselves tothis particular form of construction.

We regard this as one of the important features of our invention for asnap-over switch used in combination with the lever 12 as shown enablesa quick break of the circuit to be affected, and furthermore insures 85a constant contact and consequent steady supply of current to theheating element at all times while the iron is in use regardless ofslight variations in pressure occasioned by varying the weight ofthehand in ironing. The device is preferably adjusted so that the contactis broken, only when practically the entire pressure is removed from thehandle. In this way a continual making and breaking of the connection isprevented, the resulting wear and tear on the parts is eliminated, and aconstant heating current is obtained. 1'

It will be seen that the device hereinabove described may be usedwithout danger of 100 overheating, scorching or setting fire toinflammable materials, for whenever the operator lets go of the handlethe current is automatically cut ofi in the manner described. If on theother hand it is desired to maintain heat in the iron when not in use itis merely necessary to place 1l7 )n end on the rest 14 as shown in Fig.4 and the weight of the iron will move the meii ber 12 inwardly againstthe spring 16 and threw the switch into engagement with the fixedcontact 22 thereby supplying current to the heating element when theironing surface is free from contact with surrounding objects.

Having reference now particularly tolius Figs. 6 7 and 8 there isthereshown a modified forin of device embodylng our inven tion. The ironF is similar to the iron A described above but is provided with adifferent form of automatic mechanism for controlling the supply ofcurrent to the heating element. The mechanism is also so arranged thatcurrent is supplied to the heatria connected a wire 39 leading end ofwhich consists of non-conducting material, passes loosely through a holein the handle G and projects downwardly through a hole in the uppersurface'of a container 37. The plunger makes a snug sliding fit in thehole ed to extend well down into the container as shown in Fig. 7 whenpressure is placed on the lever 33 by the user of the iron.

The container or. switch box 37 consists of suitable non-conductingmaterial such as vulcanite or the like and 1s provided, at its lowerend, preferably at the place shown in the. drawings, with a terminal 38to which is to the heating element from which a wire 61 leads to thesource of supply. A wire 40 also leading from the current supply passesthrough the rest 41, provided at the back of the iron, and is secured tothe non-insulated portion of the plunger 34. Within the container 37 isa quantity of mercury 42, or 'other'suitable current conducting liquid,into which the plunger 34 is pressed down by the user of the iron andout of Which the plunger is lifted spring 35 whenthe iron 1s-not in use.the iron is in use and the lever 33 is pressed downwardly, currentpasses between the wires 40 and 39 by way of the plunger, mercury, andterminal 38 thereby supplying current to the heating element, and whenthe plunger is raised the circuit is broken and the heat cut off. Theplunger fits suf ficiently snugly in the hole in the container tosubstantially seal the container and prevent the escape of the mercuryor mercury gas occasioned by the passage of current.

If it is desired to maintain heat in the iron while not in use and whenit is ina position in which it can do no injury to inflammable materialsthe iron is placed on end on the support 41, which is of non-heatconducting material, and the plunger 34 and the terminal 38 are bothsubmerged in the mercury thereby making the circuit and permitting thecurrent to pass to the heating element.

Still another modified form of device is shown in Figs. 9, 10, .11 and12 in which the automatic mechanism consists of alever 43 pivoted at oneend of the handle, a spring mounted plunger 44 slidably mounted throughthe handle and to a sealed L-shaped container 45, provided withtrunnions 46, mounted in suitable brackets of non-conducting materialsecured in the container 37 and is adapt adapted to dip whenbtittsupport secured to the pivotally connected to the handle of theiron. The trunnions 46 form terminals one of which is connected to thesource of supply by a wire 50 and the other of Which is connected to theheating coils not shown, and thence with the supply by wires 49 and 62respectively. When the spring mounted plunger 44 is pressed down by thelever the container 45 is swung about its pivot from the position shownin Fig. 9 to the osition shown in Fig. 10. The container is partiallyfilled with mercury, or like liquid 63 which remains in the lower end ofthe container when the iron is resting on its base or ironing surfaceand not in use.

position shown in Fig. 10 which causes the mercury to flow into theopposite end of the container and submerge the terminals 46 therebyallowin current to pass to the heating element. When the iron is placedon end on the rest 48 the mercury in the container submerges theterminals 46 and thus affords a supply of current to the heatingelement. In this way the heating element of the iron is supplied withcurrent when in use and when resting on one end, but the current supplyis cut off if the iron is allowed to remain on its base when not in useso that all danger of scorching or setting fire to inflammable materialsis eliminated.

What we claim is:: I

1. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a support secured to said iron, and automatic means arranged topermit the supply of current to the iron when in use and when on itssupport.

2. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a iron, a switch by which the supply circuit is normallybroken, and means operated to complete the circuit when the iron is inuse when on its support.

3. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a support secured to said iron, said support being arranged tohold said iron with its operating surface free from contact, andautomatic means arranged to permit the supply of current to the ironwhen in use and when on its support.

4. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a portion of said iron being arranged to form a support, andautomatic means arranged to permit the supply of current to the ironwhen in use and when on its support.

5. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a support movably mounted on said iron, and means operated bysaid support for supplying current to the iron when in use and when onsaid support.

6. The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a lever pivotally mounted on said iron one portion of whichforms a support therefor and another portion of which forms a bandmember, said lever being adapted to be moved about its pivot b oth bythe hand member portion and the support portion, and means operated bysaid lever for supplying current to the iron.

7 The improved electric iron having an operating surface and a heatingelement, a pivoted lever mounted on said iron, a portion of which formsa support for the iron and a portion of'which forms a hand memberadapted to be grasped by the operator when using the iron, a spring bywhich said lever is'actuated in one direction, and means operated bysaid'lever for supplying current to'the iron when'said spring iscompressed.

8. The 'improved' electric iron having an operating surface and aheating element, a lever 'formingij'a upp rt and a hand member, the'support" being jpivotally mounted at one end to said iron and the handmember.

being adjacent thefharidle of the iron, a

away from the iron, and means operated by operating surface and aheating element, a

lever pivoted at one end to the rear of the iron and forming both asupport and a hand member, a spring engaging said lever, a switch forcont-rolling the supply of current to the heating element, and a memberby which said lever and switch are connected.

10. In an electric iron, the combination of a lever movable in.on edirection by hand, a spring which moves the lever in the reversedirection, and a snap-over. switch having a movable member operated bysaid lever which breaks the circuit when the lever is in its normalposition and which closes the circuit when the lever .actuatingspring jis compressed, the parts being so arranged that the switch is snappedinto circuit breaking position only after the first part of the movementof the lever against its spring has been completed.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa-- 'tures. spring tendingnormally to hold the lever CHARLES s. PALMER. DEAN PALMER.

